From the Ground Up
by MissCountrySweet
Summary: Bella and Edward have never liked each other. When their best friends Alice and Jasper unexpectedly die in a car crash, they become joint guardians of an orphaned one year old girl. Will they have the strength to set their differences aside in able to raise this child together? AU/AH, B/E.
1. Preface

**A/N:** Hi everyone! If this fanfiction looks familiar, then you might have seen it or even read it about five years ago, when I first published it. I wrote several chapters and then unfortunately personal circumstances got in the way, so I wasn't able to finish. I took a break from writing fanfiction entirely, but now I'm happy to say that I'm back, reigning in the new year with this beloved little story that has never quite left me. I hope you all are ready for a bumpy - yet satisfying - ride, I have a lot in store for you! _Please note that the story line remains the same, but I have went back and made a few edits / alterations to the chapters._

This story is based on the movie, "Life As We Know It", which came out in 2010. It's a remarkable movie, and if you're into romantic comedies I would definitely recommend it! The main characters, Edward and Bella, are in their mid-twenties and living on their own in Atlanta, Georgia. The rest will be determined in later chapters.

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters, all credit goes to Stephanie Meyer.**

* * *

Preface

My first thought after hearing the news was one of utter despair.

 _No, not them. Why did it have to be them?_

They had only been twenty-four years old. I didn't understand it. They had been _happy_. Maybe not completely, (who was ever really _completely_ happy?) but they had their family, their friends, not to mention their ultimate dream jobs. And more than that, they had _Esme,_ their vibrant, beautiful one-year-old daughter.

How could the world be so cruel as to take away two wonderful parents from their beloved little girl?

It was immoral. Absolutely outrageous. And the injustice didn't simply stop there.

Esme had not only lost _both_ of her parents, but my best friend was gone. The one person who I could always turn to in times of grief and struggle was no longer with me, and I couldn't figure out why. Why did it have to happen like this?

I now had no one to keep me from falling, no one to stand by my side and support me through it all. For the first time in my life, I was entirely alone…and hopelessly afraid.

There was nothing I could do to stop myself. I fell to the floor and wept.

* * *

 **A/N: In this story "Esme" is short for Esmeralda, the name of Alice and Jasper's child. Thank you all for reading, the first chapter will be up shortly!**

 **Happy New Year. :)**


	2. Chapter 1: Bella POV

_From the Ground Up_

 **Chapter One**

* * *

"I need to see her. Just let me see her, _please."_

Fresh tears filled my eyes as I stared despondently at the officer, waiting for his permission to see Esmeralda. I couldn't bear the thought of her being in the hands of some stranger. She belonged in her own house, in her own crib, protected by the people who loved her. Not in some awkward, foreign environment surrounded by strangers.

"I'm sorry, but the baby has already been taken to a foster home for the night," the officer explained, his tone light and sympathetic. "You can see her first thing in the morning."

I bit down hard on my bottom lip to keep from screaming out in frustration. Forcing myself to remain civil, I nodded shortly and watched as the officer retreated down the hall. Leaning my back against the wall, I closed my eyes and counted down to ten. It was a habit I had picked up ever since I was little, and for some unknown reason it always had the power to keep me calm.

 _10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1._

"Bella?"

I immediately opened my eyes to Edward's face. Blinking in surprise, I stared at him for a moment, allowing his presence to sink in. He was wearing a navy blue t-shirt underneath his black leather jacket, and a pair of dark blue jeans. His thick bronze hair was unkempt and in desperate need of a cut, as always, but what stood out the most was the unmistakably hard, grief-stricken look that emanated from his deep, piercing green eyes.

"You look terrible," I remarked, not really knowing what else to say.

He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Right back at you," he murmured.

If it had been any other time, I would have laughed. But since two of my closest friends had just died in a car accident, I didn't have it in me. The tears that had been filling up began to spill, falling in a silver cascade down my face.

"I'm assuming you know about A-Alice and Jasper?" I stammered, quickly wiping the tears away with my hands. I didn't want to fall apart here, not in front of _him._ He didn't need to see me like this.

"I do," Edward said, and I swear I heard a small crack in his voice. I could tell that he was suffering, exactly as I was. And for just that one moment, I felt comforted by the fact that I wasn't alone in this feeling.

"Esme-", he began, but I quickly cut him off, already knowing what he was going to ask.

"They won't let us see her until tomorrow morning."

His eyes immediately flickered with disappointment, followed by a slight trace of indignation. "We know her better than anyone," he asserted, crossing his arms. He glared at the wall, and the muscle on the left side of his jaw twitched with anger.

"I know," I murmured, "but apparently its policy."

"Screw the policy," Edward very nearly growled.

I raised my eyes to stare at him, never having heard him sound so mad before. But then again, I didn't know him as well as Jasper had - and for good reason. He was an arrogant ass, not to mention a total player. It had only taken five short minutes for me to learn that fact when Alice and Jasper had set us up on a blind date a couple years back. Edward had ended up being one hour late in picking me up, which of course wasn't impressive in the least. Not only that, but the date had only lasted five minutes, from the time I had sat in his car to when I had stormed out of it, thoroughly insulted. The man actually had the audacity to flirt on the phone with some other woman while I sat in the passenger seat and tell her _while I was clearly listening_ that he'd make sure to drop by her place that same night.

I never remembered being so furious in all my life, _especially_ on a date.

I couldn't believe it when Alice had told me that he was Jasper's friend. What decent man could ever be close friends with such an asshole? I had always thought about asking Jasper about his and Edward's relationship, but the question had always slipped my mind, and normally whenever I was around Jasper, so was Edward.

"We should probably go," I said, snapping out of my thoughts. I stepped away from the wall, suddenly feeling very awkward standing in front of him. This was the first time we had been alone since our disastrous date and it made me want to squirm. Or better yet, run like hell.

He nodded silently, a faraway look in his eyes. I realized that he was in shock, and in that moment I was unsure of what to do. I didn't want to stay in the hospital one second longer, but at the same time I didn't want to leave him here alone, despite my colossal dislike towards him.

A full minute passed and I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around." I took a hesitant step forward, and then another. When he still didn't move I sighed softly and continued to walk down the hall towards the exit.

I figured he would be fine. We hardly even know each other, and he wouldn't have wanted me to stay with him. In fact, after a while he probably would have asked me what I was doing, and then I'd end up feeling like an idiot. Feeling stupid was _not_ on my agenda tonight. I already felt like shit.

As I made my way towards my car I noticed a motorcycle parked next to it and narrowed my eyes, recognizing it right away as Edward's. I had to admit that it was a nice one, but knowing that many a girl had ridden on it made me grimace. Shaking my head, I unlocked my car and opened the door before slipping inside. I let out a sigh, relieved to be out of that place. Hospitals were definitely at the top of my hate list, right along with Edward.

I knew that I shouldn't be so quick to judge, but there was just something about Edward that really rattled my cage. It wasn't simply the fact that he was straight out rude and an undeniable player, but something else. I just couldn't quite piece it together…

…and I had a feeling that I might never would.

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a box of tissues on my right and an empty wine bottle on my left. Bright rays of sunlight streaked through the glass of my window, hitting me directly in the face. I shot up, hissing in pain.

"Fuck, my head is going to explode."

At the sound of my pained outcry, my gorgeous black and tan German shepherd dog, Buddy, bolted into my bedroom and emitted a sharp, defensive growl.

"Buddy, don't you _dare_ bark," I warned him, making my miserable way to the bathroom in search for some much needed Excedrin. In realizing that his owner wasn't under attack, Buddy lowered his hackles and wagged his tail, looking rather adorable.

I grabbed the Excedrin from my bathroom cabinet and desperately unscrewed the cap. After popping two in my mouth I leaned over the sink, turned on the faucet, and gulped down a mouthful of water.

The moment I swallowed the pills I remembered that I had absolutely no food in my stomach. If I didn't eat anything soon, I would undoubtedly throw up. Letting out a small groan, I dashed out of my bedroom and towards the kitchen with Buddy trailing close behind.

Once I was in the kitchen I yanked open the refrigerator door and stared inside at its contents. There wasn't one thing that looked even remotely appetizing. I closed the door, sighed in frustration, and looked around. Spotting a banana on the counter beside the coffee maker, I decided on that and went to grab it. The second I picked it up and started peeling it, I heard a faint whine from the entrance to the kitchen.

Buddy was sitting down on the ground staring at me with his soft, chocolate brown eyes, his head slightly tilted to the side. I smiled, understanding exactly what that look meant after having seen it so many times before.

"All right, lover boy, you may have some of my banana," I said, and then in a more adamant tone, " _Hier!"_

Immediately he sprang to his paws and bounded towards me.

" _Sitz!"_ I ordered, and watched as he promptly sat down.

"Good boy," I murmured lovingly and patted him gently on the head. Affectionately he licked my hand, his tail wagging back and forth on the kitchen floor.

After swallowing a bite of banana, I broke off a piece and gave it to him. This process was repeated a few times until the banana had officially been consumed. Patting my stomach in satisfaction, I glanced over at the coffee maker and was just about to get ready to make some java when a knock came at the door.

Buddy instantly sprang into action, leaping forward and dashing to the door. I winced in agony when he started to bark, wondering why the hell I had to have such a competent guard dog.

I then glanced down at what I was wearing and let out a moan. All I had on was a skimpy white spaghetti strap shirt and a pair of multi-colored plaid shorts. On top of that, my hair looked like a rat had been nesting in it all night. Now was definitely _not_ the time for unexpected company.

Running to the door, I pushed Buddy aside and ordered him to sit and be quiet. Once he had, I opened the door a crack and peered out to see who was there.

I blinked in surprise. "Edward?"

"Hey, Bella. Did you get the call?"

"No. What call?"

"Alice and Jasper's lawyer called…he wants us to meet at their house to discuss something."

"Oh. When?"

"At eight-thirty."

"What time is it now?"

"Eight fifteen."

I cursed. "Okay, I can be ready in five minutes." I slammed the door, reconsidered and opened it again. "Sorry, come inside. But beware of the dog."

Edward raised an eyebrow, before cautiously stepping inside the apartment. A low growl came from Buddy's throat the moment their eyes made contact. Lowering his head, the fierce looking German shepherd pulled his lips back in a snarl.

Edward's eyes grew huge. "Bella, what is _that_?"

I grinned wide and proud. "He's my baby. Isn't he handsome? His name is Buddy."

"You named your wolf Buddy?"

Buddy growled once again.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "He is _not_ a wolf. He's a German Shepherd – a German shepherd that can kick your ass. Do you seriously want to insult him right now?"

Edward glanced back down at Buddy and immediately shifted closer to the door.

"Okay, be right back. Buddy, you keep a good watch on him."

I started up the steps but then halted right in my tracks when Edward suddenly exclaimed, "Wait! He's not going to attack me, is he?"

I sighed, turned around and said, "Not if you don't give him a good reason to…oh, and not unless I give him the order."

"That's not very comforting," came his frank response.

I smirked. "Good," I remarked, before dashing up the stairs.

* * *

"Edward, you're too close to that car."

"The idiot is going fifteen miles under the speed limit."

"So? You're going to hit him."

"It would be his own fault for driving fifteen miles under the damn limit."

"No, Edward, it would be _your_ fault."

"It doesn't matter. I'm not going to hit him."

"Do you always drive so recklessly?"

"Are you always so damn irritating?"

I turned my head to glare at him. I had only been in the car with him for ten minutes and already Edward had managed to get on my very last nerve. I was beginning to realize that my tolerance for him was extremely limited.

As a matter of fact, it was practically nonexistent.

I sighed and said, "I just don't want us to get a ticket, okay? We're already late enough as it is."

"We're not going to get a ticket, Bella. Relax."

"How can I relax when you're driving?"

It was Edward's turn to sigh. "Look, he turned. Okay? Problem solved."

I wanted to mention the fact that the problem wasn't the car, it was his driving, but decided to keep my mouth shut…for now. Crossing my arms, I glanced out the window and watched as the world passed swiftly by. Thankfully we were only a minute away from the house, so I wouldn't have to endure his presence alone much longer.

Heaven help me if we ever had to go on a road trip together.

As the car careened around a corner, a sudden movement near the side of the road caught my eye. It only took me a mere second to realize what it was before I screamed.

" _Squirrel!"_

Edward let out a curse and yanked the wheel a little to the left to avoid the endangered animal. Unfortunately, he swerved a little too late. I whimpered softly when I felt the tire run over the poor little creature, and a small piece of my heart broke.

A long, agonizing silence ensued.

I closed my eyes and told myself that it was okay. It had only been a squirrel, after all. A cute, furry, vulnerable and defenseless squirrel. And now…now it was dead.

I glanced over at Edward and whispered accusingly, "You _killed_ it _."_

Edward glanced over at me, looking clearly affronted. "Are you kidding me? Bella, it ran right onto the road! What was I supposed to do, magically lift the car into the air? As much as I would like my car to have that kind of power, it doesn't. It wasn't my fault."

"Oh, so it's the _squirrel's_ fault then? Are you suggesting it committed suicide?'

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Edward remarked flatly.

"Fine," I said curtly, just as the car rolled into Alice and Jasper's driveway. As I always did whenever I saw the house, I stared in admiration. Alice had fallen in love with it the moment she found it, and there really was no wondering why.

It was a Colonial style house that had been built in 1945. It had five bedrooms, six baths, and a beautiful stone fireplace inside the living room. Everything inside - the furniture, various adornments and other household décor was carefully picked and only added to its charm. Alice had done a fabulous job embellishing the house from top to bottom, inside and out. She had thrived on fashion, as well as beauty, and it showed in almost every aspect of her and Jasper's home.

Edward stopped next to the lawyer's car and as soon as we were safely parked I unbuckled my seat belt and stepped out, breathing a faint sigh of relief. Before Edward had even stepped out of the car I was halfway to the front door, obviously not caring to wait for him.

I knocked on the door, not turning to look at Edward as he came up to stand beside me. It didn't take very long for the lawyer to open the door, and once he did I flashed the middle-aged man a small, apologetic smile and said, "Sorry we're late."

The lawyer was of average height with short brown hair and square-rimmed glasses. He wore a dark brown suit along with a flattering red tie, and had on a polite, ready smile. I noticed that he was actually quite handsome, and I suddenly wished I could've had time to put on some make-up before hastily leaving the apartment.

"Come in, come in. My name is Tom Barnes. You may call me Tom."

"Nice to meet you, Tom," I replied, stepping inside the house. Edward followed my lead and gave a short nod to Tom in acknowledgement.

"Let's sit at the kitchen table, shall we?"

Once we were all settled in our chairs with Edward and I seated next to each other and Tom sitting across from us, my anxiety level rose significantly. I crossed my right leg over the other and folded my hands on top of my lap, preparing myself for what he was about to announce.

"First, I want to express my sincerest condolences to you two. I understand that Alice and Jasper were very close friends of yours, and after having worked for them for quite some time, I've come to realize what a pair of commendable people they were. They will certainly be missed."

"Thank you," I murmured, blinking away the tears that were threatening to form.

Edward nodded once and answered, "Yeah, thanks."

"Now, I have a question," Tom began. He gazed at them for a short moment before inquiring, "Did Alice and Jasper ever discuss with either of you about who would take care of Esmeralda in the rare circumstance of her becoming an orphan?"

I glanced over at Edward, a confused expression appearing on both of our faces.

"No," we both told him, staring curiously at the lawyer.

"Well," Tom said, glancing briefly down at the sheet of paper in front of him before fixing us with quite a serious stare.

"It appears…that they both wanted you," he affirmed.

Immediately, Edward and I leaned forward in our seats.

"Wait, _what?_ " I exclaimed, assuming that I had misheard.

"They picked _me_ with _her_?" Edward questioned simultaneously, sounding appalled.

"Yes. I promptly advised them not to considering some of the difficulties that could arise, but they were adamant in their decision. They agreed that you two together would be the best possible choice as Esme's guardians," Tom explained.

Feeling like I was about to be sick, I placed my hand over my stomach and closed my eyes, willing my head to stop spinning. My heart pounded like a cruel hammer against my rib cage, and for a few moments I could hardly breathe.

Edward and I? _Joint guardians?_ What the _hell_ had Alice and Jasper been thinking? Had they been high or extremely intoxicated at the time? I didn't know, but one thing was for sure, they obviously hadn't been thinking very logically. Clearly they hadn't been thinking at all.

This was definitely _not_ what I had expected. And I could tell by the shocked look on Edward's face that he hadn't predicted it, either. I glanced over at the wine cabinet in the corner of the kitchen, thinking a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon would be absolutely delightful right about now.

"Excuse me, I think I need a moment," I said faintly, standing up from my chair.

Tom nodded and replied, "Take your time."

Turning around, I made my way through the house and walked out the back door. I inhaled a deep, shaky breath and stared blankly at my surroundings, feeling like my world was crashing down all around me. Was this really happening? Was this actually _real?_

How could Alice do this to me? She _knew_ how much I loathed Edward. She knew I couldn't stand him, and yet she and Jasper _still_ thought that they could simply mesh our lives together on account of their baby. It was utterly absurd!

I didn't think that I would be able to go back in, but after about five minutes of pacing back and forth on the porch, I sucked up the courage and re-entered the house.

Once I had returned to my seat beside Edward, who looked rather mystified, I gazed expectantly across at Tom and waited for him to give me more details.

Tom readily informed me, "Right, as I was saying to Edward, it would be appropriate in this case if you two moved in here to take care of Esme. Now, the mortgage of the house has already been paid, so no worries there. If in a few months it doesn't seem like it will work out, one or the other could take sole custody. As a last resort, Esme would be put up for adoption."

My stomach clenched at the thought of Esme becoming a part of some other family. I narrowed my eyes, knowing deep down that I couldn't let that happen. _Never_ would I allow that to happen.

If Alice and Jasper wanted Edward and I to be joint guardians, then so be it. I had to at least try. And if, by chance, it _didn't_ work out, I would take Esme.

I glanced over at Edward and our eyes met instantly. We held each other's gazes for a long moment, each realizing what the other wanted, before turning our attention back to Tom.

"Okay," Edward said.

I nodded. "We'll do it."

* * *

 **A/N:** **"Sitz" and "Hier" are German commands that are used to train German Shepherds, (a sport called Schutzhund, which means "protection dog") used normally for police dogs. Buddy is a retired police dog _,_ so it's appropriate that Bella learned to say these commands.**

 **I will be switching back and forth between Bella and Edward's POV's. Next chapter you'll be able to see what's going on inside Edward's head.** **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcome. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 2: Edward POV

_From the Ground Up_

 **Chapter Two**

* * *

40,000.

Every year an average of around 40,000 people die in car accidents, including my best friend.

I hadn't wanted to believe that it could happen, but it did.

I hadn't wanted to believe that I could lose the best friend I had known for eleven years, but I had.

Everything felt strangely different. I felt like there was a significant part of me missing, like a huge piece of my heart had been ripped out, leaving a massive hole. The pain was all-consuming, almost unbearable. And you know what was worse? I couldn't even taste my damn sandwich.

Frowning, I dropped it back on my plate and let out a heavy sigh. A soft whine had me glancing down at the floor, where Buddy sat staring up at me, begging to get a scrap.

"What do you want?" I grumbled, knowing very well what he wanted.

Buddy whined again, louder this time, and then swiped his tongue over his muzzle.

"All right, all right." Picking up the half-eaten sandwich, I gave it to the dog and watched as he scarfed it down in two bites.

"Satisfied now?"

Wagging his tail vigorously, Buddy stood up on all four paws and stepped forward to affectionately lick my hand.

I raised my eyebrow. "Oh, so now you decide you like me? After I've given you food?"

Buddy lifted his head and barked.

Bella walked into the kitchen and shot me a look. "Edward, I _just_ got Esme to sleep. Could you please refrain from playing with him right now?"

"I wasn't playing with him, I only gave him a snack and he got excited about it. Maybe now that there's a baby in the house you should train your wolf to be quiet." I flashed Bella an artful smirk.

Bella glared at me, her deep chocolate brown eyes narrowing in annoyance. "For the last time, Buddy is _not_ a wolf. He only acts like one occasionally. And next time don't be such a pushover. I'm trying to teach him not to beg."

 _This woman did not just call me a pushover._ I didn't know whether to gawk or to laugh. She obviously had no idea who the hell she was presently talking to. _Pushover?_ Hah.

I raised an eyebrow and said, "If I'm a pushover, then you're a hippopotamus."

She blinked, staring at me as if I was insane. "What?"

I grinned and nodded, "Exactly."

She shook her head at me and crossed her arms across her chest. "Look, Edward, we really need to start sorting some things out."

I held back a snort. "And by things you mean…issues?"

Bella sighed in slight exasperation, "No, right now we just need to figure out a schedule of when we can each take care of Ezzy. We both work away from home so it's going to be a bit difficult."

"What is it that you do again?" I questioned, honestly having forgotten. _It was something with animals…_ "Groomer, right?" I guessed, shooting in the dark.

"Uh, no," Bella replied, scrunching her nose. "I'm a professional dog trainer."

"Ah," I said. _Interesting._ "So when are you going to start training Buddy?" I joked.

Bella didn't reply. Instead she turned to Buddy, made eye contact with him, and commanded sharply while pointing to me, " _Fass!"_

Before I even realized what was happening, her dog had sprung onto all four paws and dashed straight towards me, a sudden growl ripping from his throat. My eyes widened as he leapt into the air, letting out a muffled curse right as Buddy crashed into me. I felt my back hit the kitchen floor hard. Pain shot through me the moment Buddy wrapped his sharp jaws around the length of my arm, and I cursed once again.

"Good boy! _"_ Bella praised, walking over to my side.

I stared warily at my attacker, lying completely still. I swear the dog's tail fucking wagged with his teeth still piercing my arm. And hell, he was as heavy as a horse. _What the heck is she feeding him?_

"Now, what was that about Buddy and not being trained?" Bella asked, gazing down at me with a smug smile.

"I was joking!" I exclaimed indignantly. Buddy growled while on top of me and my body immediately tensed.

"Never joke about my pet," Bella said firmly, crossing her arms, "or my job, for that matter. Dog training isn't an easy career, and I've worked hard to get where I am. Not everyone can say the same."

"All right, all right, I get it. Now…would you kindly get your wolf off me before he punctures my arm?"

"Buddy! _Aus!"_

Immediately, Buddy let go of my arm and padded over to Bella. Sitting up, I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and grimaced when I touched my hand to the spot where Buddy had grabbed me. Yup, that was going to leave a bruise… _damn dog_.

I glanced over at Bella and watched, unamused, as she doted on Buddy, scratching him lovingly behind the ears.

"You're a good boy, oh yes you are! You showed Edward, didn't you? That's right, you don't let anyone insult your intelligence, do you my big boy?"

I snorted quietly and stood up, officially annoyed. And hungry.

"So what days do you have to work?" I asked, walking over and leaning against the kitchen counter with my arms crossed. I eyed the dog warily.

"My busiest days are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those are when I have the most appointments. I don't work on the weekends," Bella stated, giving Buddy a final pat before standing up to face me. "What about you?"

"I work twenty-four hours straight and then I'm off forty-eight hours," I told her, wondering if she remembered what I was.

"Really? Firemen work one day and a night and then get two days off?"

Apparently, she did.

"Well, you know, firefighting isn't an easy career. We work hard," I said, smirking.

Bella rolled her eyes, obviously getting the joke. "Haha. Very funny."

Sticking my hands in the front pockets of my jeans, I remarked, "so since I'm going to be away a few times during the week, you're going to have to bring Esme with you to some of your appointments. Will that be a problem for you?"

"No, that's fine," Bella said. "I can make it work. Besides, it's not like you'd be able to bring her to the fire house…"

I chuckled at the thought. _A baby at the station? The chief would definitely flip his shit._

"Hardly," I replied.

"What days do you usually get off?"

"It depends, but normally Wednesdays and Thursdays."

"Okay, then-"

"Look," I said, cutting her off. "Before we start figuring out a schedule, I think we should at least wait until the funeral reception."

Bella stared at me in confusion. "What? Why?"

"There's bound to be some relatives of Alice and Jasper's we could talk to who might be willing to take Esme instead of us," I said, hoping she'd agree on this.

I watched Bella's eyes grow wide before flashing hard with undeniable anger. "Are you suggesting we just give her up? What happened to the agreement you made yesterday?" She placed her hands on her hips and glared at me. "How could you lie about that, Edward?"

"Hold up," I said quickly, lifting my hands, "I didn't lie. I'll gladly take joint custody of Esme, but first we should really think this over."

"What is there to think over?" Bella cried, "Alice and Jasper chose _us._ Why would you want to go against their wishes?"

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, feeling the stress rise all over again. "I wouldn't, Bella, but we have to think logically here. Are we really the best choice for Esme?"

"Yes, I believe we are," Bella said, not missing a beat. "So tell me, why don't you?"

I didn't want to admit to her that I wasn't ready to be a father, and that the idea of taking care of a one year old scared the hell out of me, more than anything else, as a matter of fact.

"I just think that maybe we should give Esme to a couple who's older and has more experience with children. Hell, we're only twenty-five years old, Bella. Do you really want to spend your Friday nights changing diapers?"

"Do you even know how selfish you sound right now?" Bella snapped. Her eyes pierced straight through mine as she added, "this is Esme we're talking about. _Esme,_ not some random baby we found on the street. Yes, I'm aware that I'm going to have to sacrifice some things, a lot of things. But that's something we should be willing to do. And it's what Alice and Jasper would have expected of us."

Shaking my head with a heavy sigh, I turned away from her and walked over to the opposite side of the room. I stared out the window into the backyard, wondering how my life had gone from fairly great to absolutely miserable in just a matter of days. The situation I was stuck in was ultimately mind-blowing and I could barely think straight due to it. I placed my hand against the glass window and hung my head, feeling in that moment as if the world was spinning madly out of control. I wanted so desperately to leave and forget about all of this. It would be nice to just simply forget about all of my responsibilities, at least for a little while, until I was able to put my head back on my shoulders.

But more than anything I wished Alice and Jasper were still alive and that everything was back to how it was supposed to be. _Jasper_ was Esme's true father, not me.

He had been a better father than I could ever hope to be. And the truth was…I didn't _deserve_ her _._

"Edward?" Bella whispered softly. It almost sounded as if she was pleading.

Maybe she was.

I turned around and walked back over to her, stopping to gaze straight into her eyes. "Are you _sure_ you want to do this?" I calmly asked her. And by the determined look in her eyes, I had already found the answer.

"Yes," Bella murmured without a second hesitation. "But I need _you_ to be sure, too."

Honestly, I wasn't sure of anything. But I sure as hell wasn't about to confess to it.

"I'll do what I agreed to," I said, and before Bella had the chance to respond I added quickly, "which was to _try._ If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. All right?"

"Fair enough," Bella replied. She turned around and went to grab a pen and notepad from the kitchen counter. "So how about we start by going to the store later and picking up some food? I checked the refrigerator and the cabinets and there's barely anything left. We should stock up for the week."

"Yeah," I said, nodding absently, "we should."

There it went. I could feel it waving a sorrowful good-bye as I told Bella to add milk to the grocery list.

My old life was gone...

And hell if I thought I was ever going to get it back.

* * *

 **Aus** **\- "Drop it! Let go!"**

 **Fass - "Attack! Take hold!"  
**

 **And there you have it, the second chapter! I promise to make the next chapters longer, right now I simply wanted you guys to see what was going on inside Edward's head.** **Next chapter will be in Bella's POV again. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 3: Bella POV

_From the Ground Up_

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

I woke up for about the third time that night to the sound of Esme's high-pitched crying.

Sighing, I sat up in bed and waited, hoping to eventually hear the sound of Edward walking down the hall towards the nursery. Surely he could hear her, couldn't he? She was as loud as a friggin' howler monkey.

After a full three minutes had passed, I let out a loud groan and reluctantly swung myself out of bed.

 _Fuck you, Edward._

I'll be damned if I had to get up every single time Esme started crying. Like hell was I going to allow him to get a full night's rest when I couldn't even get in a decent five hours. Who did he think he was, making me do all the work? Clenching my hands into fists, I stormed out of my room and walked right past the nursery, straight to Edward's bedroom. Oh yes, I was a girl on a mission.

My mission?

To knock some sense into Edward's dense, mammoth head.

I narrowed my eyes the second I discovered the reason as to why Edward was sleeping so soundly.

The door was closed. _Closed!_ Did this man have absolutely no sense at all? I was utterly flabbergasted.

Furthermore I'd never felt so pissed at him than in this precise moment, and that was certainly saying something considering the way he had treated me on our blind date. I suddenly felt the dire need to punch something. Anything. Preferably, Edward.

I jerked the door open in one swift motion and tore into the room, fully charged and ready to kick ass.

I headed directly to his bed and was about three feet away from it when my feet stumbled unexpectedly over a pair of shoes. It only took around two split seconds for a loud, piercing scream to escape my mouth, followed by a very distinct curse as I landed flat across the length of Edward's unconscious body.

I struggled to sit up as I continued my impressive line of curses at the same time Edward groaned and shot straight up in bed. We immediately butted heads. Pain shot through me, my head spinning as it hit me hard.

" _Ow!_ " I exclaimed.

"Fuck!" Edward grumbled, obviously now wide awake.

I leaned back and tenderly touched the spot where our heads had collided, knowing for a fact that it was going to bruise. Wonderful, just wonderful.

"Bella, what is the matter with you? And why the hell are you in my room?" Edward demanded.

I flashed him a piercing glare even though it was dark and he could hardly see my face. "No, Edward, what is the matter with _you_? You left your door closed!"

"And your point is?" Edward questioned.

Holding back a growl I leaned over, snatched up the pillow that was beside him, and whacked him hard across the face.

"That's for being stupid," I hissed at him. "In case you've somehow forgotten, there is a _baby_ in the house. How can you hear her crying when your door is closed?"

Edward rubbed his head with the palm of his hand and muttered, "I'm sorry, it's just habit. I won't do it again."

"You better not or next time I'm going to hit you with something much harder than a pillow," I snapped.

"You already did," he pointed out.

"What?"

"Your head."

I smiled and forced myself not to laugh; I needed to remain serious. "Very funny, now could you please get your ass out of bed and check on Esme? I've already done it twice tonight."

"I don't know if I can, my head is pounding so hard I can barely see straight."

"Edward, don't even think about making excuses, I will kick you out of this room myself if I have to," I warned him.

Edward smirked smugly in the darkness. "I highly doubt you could do that, Bella. I'm a fireman, remember?"

"And I'm a professional dog trainer. If I can handle a one hundred and fifty pound Great Dane, I could probably handle you as well," I remarked cleverly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Wanna bet?"

"Edward, if you don't check on Esme _right now_ I'm going to-"

"All right, all right, I'm going! Don't get your bloomers all in a knot."

"Excuse me?" I blinked at him a couple times in surprise.

"Your panties," Edward said.

I shook my head, grinning slowly. "No, you said bloomers."

Edward shrugged. "So?"

"Since when did we go back in time to the mid-19th century?" I joked.

"Now you're the one being funny," Edward said with a quiet snort.

"I'm not the one who said 'bloomers'," I replied, letting out a giggle.

Well, so much for remaining serious. There was no way I could when he popped out a word like _that._

Shaking his head, Edward got out of bed and headed towards the door.

Right before he left the room he turned back around and asked casually, "Were you trying to seduce me or something?"

I nearly fell off the bed in shock. _What_ did he just say?

"S-sorry?" I sputtered, staring at him in bewilderment.

"You were on my bed when I woke up…or rather, on me. Care to explain?"

My face turned beat red and I mentally thanked my lucky stars that the light wasn't on for him to see it. How dreadfully embarrassing _that_ would have been!

"I tripped! Over your shoes!" I exclaimed defensively, "And then I fell! I was _not_ trying to seduce you!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Am I…of _course_ I'm sure about it! I'd never seduce you, you idiot!"

"I think what you mean to say is - you'd never _try_ to seduce me _,_ " Edward said slyly.

I grabbed the same pillow I had before and chucked it at him with all my might.

He laughed and quickly ducked out of the room, snickering all the way to the nursery.

* * *

I was just seconds away from drifting off into a peaceful slumber when I heard the door to my bedroom crack open. Esme's distressing cry caused my eyelids to flutter open, immediately jolting me awake.

I sat up in bed and stared at Edward with sleepy, narrowed eyes as he walked towards me with Esme in his arms. He sat down on my side of the bed and heaved a loud, frustrated sigh.

"I got her to be quiet for about ten minutes but then she started crying again. I don't get it. Why the hell won't she sleep?"

"Did you try feeding her?" I asked tiredly.

"Yeah, I tried giving her some of that baby food we got today, the same kind Alice and Jasper always fed her, but she wouldn't have any of it."

"Okay, what about her diaper?"

"Her diaper?" He sounded startled.

I raised an eyebrow. "Yes, her diaper. You know that absorbent material babies wear around their bottom to go to the bathroom in?"

"I know what a diaper is," Edward said flatly, "I just…"

"Don't what to change it?" I smirked knowingly.

"Well…yeah," he sheepishly admitted.

"Too bad," I said, "you're doing it."

Suddenly, Edward leaned his head down next to Esme and asked her, "What's that?" He listened to her cry for a moment before nodding and lifting his head to look at me. "She said that she'd rather have you change her diaper. Since I'm a guy and all, it'd make her feel awkward."

I smiled and shook my head. "Nope, nice try funny man."

He sighed, admitting defeat. "Fine, but you're coming with me to show me what to do."

I gasped, "Wait, you mean you, Edward Cullen, have never changed a diaper before?" Flinging my arm dramatically over my head, I let out a soft fainting noise and fell back against the bed.

I heard Edward chuckle and say, "Haha. And _you_ have?"

Sitting up, I crossed my arms and nodded, "As a matter of fact, yes, I have. I babysat every now and then during my sophomore year of college. There were two babies around Esme's age that I had to learn to change diapers for."

"Wow," Edward said sarcastically, "the experience you have with diapers is just blowing my mind."

"Oh yeah? You know what blows _my_ mind?"

"Cucumbers?"

I ignored this and said in a firm, irritated tone, "The fact that women actually tend to like you. You must have found some clever way to trick them, huh?"

"Ouch, what a way to wound a guy's ego," Edward joked.

I snorted non-comically. "Oh, trust me, I think your ego is big enough to handle it."

As Esme let out a long, ear-piercing wail, I bit down on my lip and pulled the covers back. "All right, we should really check out her diaper. Come on."

Edward stood up and I quickly got out of bed, following him out of the room and into the nursery. He laid Esme on the changing table in the corner of the room and then glanced over at me expectantly.

"All right," I said, "now first you need to unfasten the tabs."

"Got it." Leaning over, Edward unclasped the tabs and then slowly pulled the diaper down to check what was inside. He scrunched his nose a bit and said, "Yep, she's soiled it."

"Okay, well before you put on a new diaper you need to clean her."

"Sounds like fun."

I grabbed a baby wipe from the shelf underneath the table and handed it to him. "Wipe from front to back," I instructed.

"Why?" Edward asked curiously.

"It helps keep bacteria from causing infection."

Edward nodded and said, "Right." Using the wipe I gave him, he began cleaning Esme from front to back. The expression on his face was an interesting combination of colossal discomfort, determination, and clear, undeniable torture.

After a moment of watching I couldn't help it – I leaned my head back and laughed uproariously.

He paused and flashed me a look of surprise. "What?" he exclaimed, clearly dumbfounded.

"Oh gosh, the look on your face when you started wiping her was priceless!" I bent over and continued to laugh, tears beginning to form at the corner of my eyes.

Edward scowled. "Shut up, Bella, and let me concentrate."

"I'm t-trying!" After about a minute I finally regained my composure. Pushing a strand of hair behind my ear, I nodded to him and said, "Okay, I think I'm good now…you may continue."

"Thanks," Edward said dryly, rolling his eyes. Turning back to Esme, he finished wiping her off before throwing the wipe away in the trash can beside the table. "Okay, now what?"

"Now you need to dry her off and then put the new diaper on."

Edward nodded with his lips pressed in a firm line and bent down to grab a clean cloth from the shelf. Once he had dried her off, he put the cloth off to the side and picked up a new diaper.

He stared down at the diaper and blinked, glanced at Esme, then back at the diaper, looking utterly perplexed.

I sniggered quietly from beside him. _This is just too entertaining to watch!_

"Okay, so now just lift her up and put the diaper beneath her, and then lay her bottom on top of it," I said.

Edward did so, and then without having to ask me what he needed to do next, pulled both tabs over one by one and sealed them onto the diaper.

"Hah!" he exclaimed, lifting Esme up into the air in a triumphant gesture. "I've done it!"

I shook my head slightly and laughed. "Congratulations Edward, you have officially changed your first diaper. Now you can look forward to changing hundreds more!"

Edward snorted, "Hardly. She's one year old; we should start potty training her soon."

"Agreed, but until she learns we'll need to keep changing her diaper. And now, hopefully, you'll know how."

"It's pretty simple," Edward said, "I think I've got it."

Esme reached out and playfully grabbed Edward's nose.

"Hey!" Edward said, grinning, "What do you think you're doing, missy?"

Giggling, Esme squeezed his nose with her tiny little fingers. Edward made a funny face, causing her to let out a loud shriek of laughter.

"Well, you've obviously made her very happy," I said, smiling softly at Esme.

"It's because I've got the charm," Edward said matter-of-factly, giving me a teasing grin.

"Whatever you say, Edward, whatever you say." I put my hand over my mouth and let out a giant yawn. "Okay, I _really_ need to get some sleep. Put her to bed, will you?"

"Sure, Your Highness." Edward swooped low in a gallant bow. Esme clapped her hands together and squealed with pleasure.

"Edward, honestly, you need to get her to sleep," I said sternly.

She was _so_ cute right now but I was _so_ tired. Tomorrow was Monday and if I didn't get any shut eye soon I was _not_ going to be a happy camper in the morning, no matter how many cups of coffee I drink. If Edward didn't understand this now, well he'd understand it soon enough.

"Don't worry Bella, I've got this covered," Edward said.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay, well…wake me up if you still can't get Esme to sleep."

Edward nodded. "Deal. See you in the morning."

I walked out of the nursery and headed back to my bedroom, but not before overhearing Edward exclaim playfully to Esme, "Look, Esme! Bella left! This is our chance…let's party!"

I stopped, thought about turning back around, but then shook my head and continued on.

One single thought passed through my mind as I finally drifted off to sleep.

 _Stupid, irritating, cocky fireman…_

* * *

 **You guys are awesome, thank you so much for reading. :)**


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